My oldest son is pretty well traveled. We’ve been to all seven continents together, and at 15 years old he’s willing (and eager) to travel anywhere. So, when I suggested we explore South Korea through a self-guided tour, he didn’t hesitate. We booked with InsideAsia, which builds fully independent tours (FITs) based on variables such as your interests, how much time you have, and how independent you want to be.
In our case, we used InsideAsia to arrange hotels, tours, and trains for most of the trip (though we splurged for a private vehicle transfer from the airport to our first hotel in Seoul). Those looking for more support can book private transfers throughout. We found the train to be easy to follow and figure out, though—not to mention more affordable.
Navigating Seoul with a little help from our friends
After an 18-hour direct flight from New York to Korea on Korean Air, we landed at Seoul’s Incheon International Airport and met our transfer at arrivals. Even though our tour was fully independent (as opposed to traveling with a group), InsideAsia provided a WhatsApp number for any questions or problems that might arise along the way.
In travel, you can prepare for a lot (how to dress, what to bring, info about your destination), but the one thing you can’t predict is the weather. Because we traveled in July (during the rainy season), it wasn’t surprising that our first two full days in Seoul included heavy downpours. But with the help of InsideAsia’s support WhatsApp number, we were able to switch around our excursions and still had plenty of fun in the rain.
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Instead of biking in the rain, we did the popular Seoul tour, which included a visit to Gyeongbok Palace, the National Folk Museum, Jogyesa Buddhist Temple, and Changdeok Palace. We also walked around the Insadong Antique Shop Alley and Namdaemun Market. The next day was a kimchi making class at the Seoul Kimchi Academy, followed by a tour of the N Seoul Tower and Hanok Village.
We stayed at the centrally located G3 hotel the first two nights, and we had a package from InsideAsia that was given to us upon check-in (again, this varies for each FIT booking). Our package included two T-money cards (each traveler needs their own card for the subway), a Wi-Fi hotspot pack (which was useful because we could connect up to five devices to it and have on-the-go Wi-Fi during our whole stay), and all our train tickets for the trip.
A relaxing day in Jeonju
From Seoul, we traveled by high-speed bullet train to Jeonju, which took less than two hours. We were only in Jeonju for one night, but we caught the early train (9:46 a.m. out of Seoul), which got us in just before noon. The bullet train is an excellent way to travel. It’s fast, as the name implies, but also well organized; everyone is assigned a seat with a charging outlet, and the scenery zips by like a movie.
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Taking a taxi to our hotel (we had our hotel name written in Korean to show the driver), we arrived at Kunsu Chogajip Guesthouse. This was a unique experience. We only stayed one night (at the time, I was wondering why, because I generally prefer to stay at least two nights at a hotel, but the reason soon became clear). We slept on the floor on top of a thin mattresses in an authentic Korean house that was more than 100 years old. My son and I stayed up late talking—it reminded me of our camping days when he was young and we slept in sleeping bags—and while it was a memorable experience I’ll treasure, my back felt one night was definitely enough.
We didn’t have any tours scheduled in Jeonju, so we explored on our own. The town is really adorable and there are lots of coffee shops. That’s one of the things that stood out to me on the trip, actually; you can’t walk more than a block or two without hitting a coffee shop. We waked around, ate some yummy Bibimbap, and then had ice cream treats. Desserts were sold everywhere.
Hitting the beach in Busan
Of the three cities we visited, my son liked Busan the best. It has beautiful beaches, our favorite of which was Haeundae beach because of its large outdoor gym, which he instantly took to. We also did a full-day tour. The highlights? Eating live octopus in the Jagalchi Fish Market, the largest fish market in South Korea; and devouring marshmallow-roasted ice cream in the Gamcheon Culture Village. I also enjoyed visiting the Haedong Yonggunsa temple, located right on the water.
In Busan we took part in a three-hour cooking class, where we chopped veggies, sautéed ingredients, and created traditional Korean dishes while our wonderful chef talked about life in Korea. I can never get my son to do any cooking at home, so it was fun to do a mother-son class together, with each of us contributing to the step-by-step process.
Passing the travel baton to my son
For the 15 years we’ve traveled together, I’ve always been the one in control. This is the first trip where I’ve asked my son to step up and navigate the subway system, and he did so beautifully. He never hesitated to ask a complete stranger for help with directions, either. He felt empowered and I felt as if I were passing the torch to the next generation.
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Beyond the subway, we both loved the long-distance trains in Korea and agreed that they couldn’t be easier to navigate. While we had tickets for each destination—from Seoul to Jeonju, from Jeonju to Busan, from Busan back to Seoul—nobody ever asked to see them. We traveled in the rainy monsoon season, but train never slowed down. In fact, taking the bullet train in the rain was quite soothing. Looking out the window from our dry and warm compartment just added to the experience.
A few things to do before your own trip to South Korea with InsideAsia
Schedule a one-on-one consultation pre-trip. Ask for a one-on-one consultation with a Korea expert to go through your itinerary before you depart. This is usually included and scheduled before your trip, but if it’ not, just ask the booking agent to schedule this. I spoke with Julianna, an extremely knowledgeable Korea expert, via Zoom a few days before our flight, and it was a great way for me to ask all my questions (and alleviate any fears).
Download the right apps. Google maps doesn’t work in South Korea. For step-by-step instructions for the subway, bus, and getting around, download Naver and Kakao on the app store. Both of these apps are absolutely essential for navigating Korea.
Familiarize yourself with the T-money card. The T-money card allows you to ride the subway. You can add money to your card at 7-Eleven shops (which are pretty much on every corner). If you have any leftover money on your card, you can spend it at 7-Eleven before you depart.
There’s no need for cash. I took out money at the airport ATM just in case I needed some cash, but to be honest it’s much easier to use your credit card or ApplePay everywhere. Korea is not a tipping society (which made dinning and tours so much easier). Not having to figure out a different currency in cash really made it easier as well.
